New laws will assist local law enforcement agencies with purchasing body cameras, require annual reporting on the use of no-knock warrants. $50 million investment in community safety across the state announced.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers signed 10 bills on Thursday to promote public safety and support crime victims, survivors, and their families.

“We’re continuing our work to keep our kids, our families, and our communities safe. The bills I’m signing today will assist local law enforcement agencies with purchasing body cameras, require annual reporting on the use of no-knock warrants, and better protect and support crime victims, their families, and people in our care to help build a safer, fairer Wisconsin for everyone,” said Gov. Evers.

In addition to signing today’s bills, earlier this week, Gov. Evers announced a more than $50 million investment in community safety across the state, including nearly $19 million for local and tribal law enforcement agencies and funding to help alleviate the pandemic-related backlog of criminal cases through additional public defender and assistant district attorney support. With this funding, the governor is making investments throughout the criminal justice system aimed at keeping Wisconsinites safe. Additionally, in October 2021, the governor announced a $45 million investment in community-based violence prevention efforts and support for crime victims and survivors, bringing Gov. Evers’ total investment in violence prevention and public safety to more than $100 million.

Senate Bill 627, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 182:

• Allows one parent to petition a court to change the name of a minor under the age of 14, if the nonpetitioning parent is convicted of certain homicide or sex offenses.

“When an individual commits a horrifying and despicable crime, the impact of their actions have ripple effects throughout the entire community, affecting not only the survivor or victim and their family, but the perpetrator’s own family, too,” said Gov. Evers. “I am glad to be signing Senate Bill 627 that will help protect our kids and ensure they can heal from the harm and trauma caused by a parent’s actions.”

Assembly Bill 329, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 183:

• Requires the Department of Justice to collect certain information on search warrants and issue an annual report, specifically as it relates to no-knock entry in the execution of a search warrant.

Assembly Bill 333, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 184:

• Expands the allowable recipients and uses of the Department of Health Services’ crisis program enhancement grants.

Assembly Bill 335, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 185:

• Creates a grant program, administered by the Department of Justice, to assist local law enforcement agencies with the costs of purchasing officer body cameras.

Assembly Bill 825, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 186:

• Codifies current practice by requiring state correctional institutions and the Department of Corrections to report on and forward to local law enforcement alleged battery by persons in the department’s care against correctional officers and teachers.

Senate Bill 100, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 187:

• Expands the special circumstances battery of probation, extended supervision and parole agents, community supervision agents, and aftercare agents to include the family of agents; and
• Expands the special circumstances battery to tribal officials serving in a similar capacity.

Senate Bill 199, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 188:

• Makes sexual contact or intercourse by a law enforcement officer with a person detained or in custody second-degree sexual assault in order to create consistency with current law sections for similar conduct by correctional and probation officers.

Senate Bill 408, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 189:

• Adds catalytic converters to a list of proprietary articles for which scrap dealers must follow certain requirements.

Senate Bill 419, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 190:

• Incorporates tribal governments into the procedures required when a sexually violent person is released from an institutional commitment to supervised release.

Senate Bill 420, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 191:

• Adds tribal court officials as victims under the crime of battery or threat to a court officer or law enforcement officer.

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Roads must meet minimum design standards of a 16-foot surface width and a 20-foot roadway width, and be located within county forests.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), announced that more than $300,000 in state funds through the County Forest Road Aids program will help 24 Wisconsin counties maintain and improve public roads in county forests across the state.  

“In just three years, we’ve made major headway on fixing our state’s roads and bridges, having already improved more than 1,770 miles of highways and more than 1,250 bridges, and it is critical for our growth as a state that we continue to invest in our state’s transportation infrastructure,” said Gov. Evers. “I’m glad to approve these funds because our county forest roads are a key part of this investment and our future. Our state takes immense pride in our abundant natural resources and these funds are an important tool in ensuring that folks are able to readily access our state’s forests and that communities have the resources to support the critical infrastructure needed to keep them accessible.”  

Administered by WisDOT, the County Forest Road Aids program aims to defray county costs for the improvement and maintenance of public roads within county forests. Funding from fiscal year 2022 will help improve more than 900 miles of public roads within county forests. For example, Marinette County, with 234 miles of eligible county forest roads, will receive the largest payment of $82,134.   

“County forests provide great recreational opportunities across Wisconsin, and maintaining these roads not only helps tourism, but promotes industry and quality of life,” said WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson. “Thank you to the communities who partner with us to make good investments in our infrastructure.”  

To qualify for the state funding, roads must meet minimum design standards of a 16-foot surface width and a 20-foot roadway width, be located within county forests, be open and used for travel, and cannot be town roads, county, or state highways.   

County Forest Road Aids are separate from the larger General Transportation Aids (GTA) program, and county forest roads are not eligible to receive General Transportation Aid.

A list of counties and the amount of County Forest Road Aids being distributed is available here.

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HealthNet of Rock County to expand their services at a new building on Franklin Street, other critical healthcare services funded.

JANESVILLE — Gov. Tony Evers announced on Wednesday more than $4 million from the Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Investment Grant Program has been awarded to support expanding access to quality healthcare services in the Janesville and Edgerton communities. 

“Making sure that critical healthcare services—from dental care to orthopedics to mental healthcare—are accessible to families and individuals in every zip code is essential to ensuring we are building healthier communities across our state for years to come,” said Gov. Evers. “So, I am glad to be awarding these funds today to support two great projects in the Janesville and Edgerton communities that will do just that with new facilities that will provide central hubs for patients to receive care close to home.”

Of the more than $4 million investment announced today, more than $1.1 million will be going to HealthNet of Rock County to expand their services at a new building on Franklin Street. This new facility will centralize services to reduce transportation burdens on patients, while almost doubling HealthNet’s capacity to provide care to uninsured individuals and triple the dental clinic capacity, as well as expand care for women and low-income individuals. Additionally, today, more than $3.8 million was awarded to Edgerton Hospital and Health Services to support a new facility in a more central location for patients. This new facility will increase access to mental healthcare for seniors and general mental healthcare, pain management resources, pediatric services, and orthopedics. 

Part of a more than $285 million investment allocated by the governor for community capital projects statewide, the Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Investment Grant Program was first announced in August 2021, alongside the Neighborhood Investment Fund Grant Program awarded last week. 

The Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Investment Grant Program is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) and funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), with grants ranging in size from $158,000 to a maximum of $20 million. Applications opened on Oct. 26, 2021, and closed on Nov. 30, 2021. Additional information can be found on the program website. Recipients of the Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Investment Grant Program will be announced on a rolling basis throughout this week. A full list of grant awardees will be released later today. 

Wisconsinites can visit BadgerBounceback.wi.gov to view pandemic-related assistance information for families, farmers, businesses, organizations, and communities, as well as the latest data and success stories about how COVID-relief investments are making a difference across the state. For updates on other recovery-related grant opportunities, sign up for the Badger Bounceback update list.